Winter to spring waders

The UK’s coasts, estuaries and saltmarshes are important wintering sites for several wading bird species, including these birds which seem more prominent at this time of year, prior to the great spring migration north (for most shorebird species). Curlew

Comfortably our biggest wading bird, the Curlew looks almost like a small gull in flight, until you see that mighty, downcurved bill. Brown and streaky with a V-shaped white rump patch, and no wing-bars, the Curlew can only be confused with the smaller, shorter-billed Whimbrel. The calls are among the most evocative of all bird sounds.

Sanderling

In winter Sanderlings are ghostly white little waders, familiar as the birds which chase along the small wavelets breaking on sandy beaches, looking like clockwork toys running along. In flight the wings look strikingly black and white.

Black-tailed Godwit

Often appearing in flocks thousands strong, Icelandic Blacktailed Godwits seem particularly prominent in March, prior to the return to the breeding grounds. Black-tailed Godwits have a stronger preference for freshwater and hence inland sites, than the essentially coastal Bar-tailed Godwits. They have very long legs and a long straight bill; and have obvious wing-bars, a small square white rump and black tail, seen best in flight.

Turnstone

Mid-sized, the Turnstone is a uniquely shaped wader (in a European context: there is a Pacific relative, the Black Turnstone, which is similarly shaped), with a chisel-like bill for turning over seaweed, shells and stones (of course), to look for invertebrate morsels. Happy on rocky as well as sandy habitats (with seaweed), they occasionally turn up inland in March. Look for the complex face pattern and obvious white back and white wing bars in flight.

Knot

Renowned as the ‘murmurating’ waders in every modern nature documentary, Knots are medium-sized, chunky sandpipers, the next size up from, say, a Dunlin. In winter they are among the greyest of grey wading birds, although later in the spring they will attain lovely brick-red underparts.